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Emergency crews have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, along with hundreds of local guides and animal tenders, officials reported. This wraps up one of the biggest search-and-rescue operations ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Hundreds of hikers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Recount Extreme Conditions

One Chinese traveler recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather worsened.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The severe weather also hindered the plans of climbers led by a US-based mountaineering firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has attracted an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be currently off-limits to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected many of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual lost their life, due to a blend of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”